Can I still travel?

1.
Posted bySpinner30(Budding Member 4 posts) 2w
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I'm a United States citizen and want to travel outside the country. The issue is I got arrested for a misdemeanor, but didn't got convicted and my arrest was expunged. Can I still travel?

Countries I'm looking to travel to: Canada

Portugal

Spain

Greece

Bulgaria

Hungary

Japan

[ Edit: Edited on 06-Jan-2019, at 11:01 by Spinner30 ]

2.
Posted byPiecar(Travel Guru 1168 posts) 2w
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Sure. I don't see why it would be a problem. I'm from Canada and here you'd be fine for sure

3.
Posted byberner256(Moderator 1103 posts) 2w
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No worries, just bring your passport.

See this link: http://ccresourcecenter.org/2015/01/02/international-travel-restrictions-based-criminal-record/

[ Edit: Edited on 06-Jan-2019, at 11:52 by berner256 ]

4.
Posted bySpinner30(Budding Member 4 posts) 2w
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That isn't the answer I got from reddit.

"If it was expunged, it shouldn’t be on your record. So it should be a non-issue.

But keep in mind that a misdemeanour in the US can be considered a felony in other countries. So if it is still on your record, you may be denied entry. i.e. a DUI is a misdemeanour in the US but considered a felony in Canada."

[ Edit: Edited on 06-Jan-2019, at 11:35 by Spinner30 ]

Posts 5 & 6 were removed by moderators

7.
Posted byPiecar(Travel Guru 1168 posts) 2w
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Just another spammer, bud. The mods here kill this stuff right quick, as you can see.

8.
Posted bySpinner30(Budding Member 4 posts) 2w
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Quoting Piecar

Just another spammer, bud. The mods here kill this stuff right quick, as you can see.

I still haven't got my question answered from my other post.

9.
Posted byPiecar(Travel Guru 1168 posts) 2w
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The answer you got here was "It shouldn't be a problem" .....from several people. If you feel like reddit is the way you want to go with your concern, that's your, er, concern. What were you hoping for? Case Law?

If it's really something you fret about, call a consulate. I've travelled with an expunged record of a couple of heavier issues, no one has ever said a thing.

Good luck. Take it easy

10.
Posted byleics2(Respected Member 499 posts) 2w
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Past arrests and convictions only really become relevant if a citizenship requires either a visa or an electronic visa to enter a country. Asking about criminal records is not a usual part of the standard border process.

US citizens are allowed to enter the Schengen Zone (the area within Europe which no longer has formal land border procedures) for up to 90 in every 180 days visa-free. Portugal, Spain, Hungary & Greece are all in the Schengen Zone so visiting them is certainly not an issue.

Bulgaria is in the European Union and not in the Schengen Zone...but US citizens are still allowed to visit for up to 90 in 180 days visa free. So there's no problem there either.

US citizens can enter Japan visa-free for up to 90 days, so no problem there either.

For Canada I suggest you contact the Canadian embassy directly. Assuming you own up to the previous arrest whether you'll have issues depends on exactly what crime you committed and when As a US citizen you don't need an ETA but one of its questions asks if 'you have ever committed a crime, been arrested for......' etc and I suspect the same question is asked at borders for citizens who don't need an ETA. You can lie, of course, (your choice) but otherwise the border officer will make the decision. Depending on the crime and when it happened the person may be 'deemed rehabilitated' and the ETA issued or it may be necessary to apply for individual rehabilitation.